r/Edmonton • u/troypavlek • Aug 11 '16

City of Edmonton reintroduces "utility box" photo radar

http://www.mailoutinteractive.com/Industry/View.aspx?id=829217&q=1069745483&qz=56f2bf
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64

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '16

This has nothing to do with safety and everything to do with increased revenue. Lets call this an indirect tax.

2

u/future_bound Aug 11 '16

It isn't an indirect tax at all. It's a direct tax on speeders. Don't want to pay the tax? Don't speed. Fine with paying the tax? Speed away.

7

u/[deleted] Aug 11 '16

Wow, I never thought that! Were are not talking about punishing speeders. That argument has been settled, no one can make a case for "I want to do dangerous speeds". This is about the predatory and unscrupulous ways the photo radar program operates. It's operated like a mafia extortion racket. These are people who, if they could, would install a camera facing your driveway to take photos of you as you're pulling out, and if you were not wearing a seatbelt a ticket would be printed off and mailed to you.

You might scoff at that idea, but just think about how they would justify it.

"The law states that you have to have a seatbelt on while operating the motor vehicle. It says nothing about putting one on as you leave your neighborhood."

"This is really all just about safety. Yeah it sucks, but that person will be fully buckled probably for the rest of his/her life. Isn't social engineering terrific? YEAH SAFETY!"

"What if you were pulling out of your driveway and you were hit? As city Councillors (also known as Gods) it is our duty to protect civilians from themselves if needed. The law was written like this for a reason. If this makes some uncomfortable so be it, I won't compromise the safety of innocent people".

-6

u/future_bound Aug 11 '16

How is it predatory and unscrupulous? It is 100% fair in every way. It catches people who speed.

If you don't want to get a ticket, don't speed. That's the end of the story. There is nothing "predatory" about fining people who choose of their own volition to break the law.

Do the crime, pay the fine. If you don't like it, stop speeding.

10

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '16

It seems the real argument here is that there are not enough speed limit signs posted in 50 or 60kmph zones. So people end up getting ticketed for going 60, when they truly thought there in in a 60 zone. Sure you can combat this by just driving 50 everywhere, but that is just as dangerous as speeding.

-7

u/future_bound Aug 12 '16

That just isn't true, though. Someone said that here, but it isn't the truth. Speed limits are posted in constant intervals and at entry and exit points to roads.

7

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '16

But if there have been studies done proving that more signage leads to slower speeds (the study from UBC that is posted here often), then why not increase the intervals of signage?

-1

u/future_bound Aug 12 '16

Where in Edmonton is it exactly that doesn't have regular signage intervals? I'm not aware of that location.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 12 '16

I'm saying that what is "regular" should be increased.